69 years ago today Bonnie and Clyde died an epic death. Lovers in life and lovers in death, their romantic story captured hearts around the world. Their adventures and relationship create a titillating story as fantastic as something from a book or legend. Bonnie was a sweet, well-educated girl of 18 when she met Clyde. Though Clyde was also 18, he had already had many run-ins with the law. He had a sporadic education, a rebellious nature, a love for playing saxophone music, and a charming air. Clyde was visiting a girlfriend when he saw Bonnie cooking in the kitchen. Bonnie and Clyde fell in love the moment they saw each other.

Bonnie found out about Clyde’s problems with the law when the police came to arrest him. He was sentenced to two years in prison. Bonnie visited every day and eventually managed to smuggle him a gun and he escaped that night. Clyde was caught and imprisoned again. Since he was too far away to visit, Bonnie and Clyde constantly wrote to each other. When Clyde got out, thanks to his mother’s pleas, he tried to clean up his act, but found it impossible. He returned to Bonnie to continue their life together, in a stolen car. They were chased, and while Clyde got away, Bonnie was caught and spent several months in prison. She whiled away the time by writing poetry. No matter what happened, how many people Clyde killed, Bonnie always stuck by his side, wildly in love with her man.

Bonnie and Clyde traveled the country, robbing, killing, getting shot, and loving each other passionately. The couple fascinated the newspapers, who published their stories. The articles captures the interests and hearts of people across the country in these hard times. The couple was found even more endearing when someone found some film and developed it- to discover that it was pictures of the rebellious couple.

One time Bonnie and Clyde stole a car. The owner saw it and chased after them in a friend’s car with her in it. The car chase ended when the owner of the car realized that they would never be able to catch up to the wild, gutsy criminals. The rebels took the owner of the car and his friend in the stolen car and drove while with them, Bonnie holding a gun to them. Bonnie told them that she would have shot their captives if they weren’t so likable. Bonnie asked the owner of the stolen car what he did for his profession. When he answered undertaker, Bonnie laughed and said that he’d probably see her again soon.

Bonnie and Clyde drove off a bridge. Clyde and one of their associates escaped, but Bonnie was pinned under the car when it caught fire. Locals called the police helped her from the burning wreckage. The police were overpowered by the Barrow gang. Clyde carried Bonnie into a car and loaded the police in as well and drove off. The cops were later released. The thieves ran into more trouble as members of the Barrow gang were shot and Clyde was in another car accident while trying to escape. Bonnie’s leg would be deformed for the rest of her short life since they couldn’t risk getting proper medical attention.

Bonnie and Clyde wanted to visit their parents. On their way there they were ambushed and shot at. Though both were hit in the leg, they managed to run away. Law officers begin to harass Bonnie and Clyde’s families, hoping for information on where the couple are. A special agent is hired to track Bonnie and Clyde.

One of the Barrow Gang’s member’s father sided with the police and helped them set a trap for Bonnie and Clyde. Officers waited for the couple with armor-piercing bullets. In the morning the couple approached in a stolen car. They were told to give up. They reached for their guns. The police started shooting. Clyde was shot in the head and killed. Bonnie screamed as she watched her lover die. She would not mourn long. 167 bullets shot through the car, killing Bonnie. 50 bullets passed through the bodies of Bonnie and Clyde. Bonnie was 23. Clyde was 24.

Though Bonnie and Clyde wished to be buried together, Bonnie’s parents wouldn’t have it. Over 20,000 people came to see Bonnie buried. Clyde was buried next to his brother under a stone with a quote he chose, “Gone but not forgotten.”

“The Story of Suicide: The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde.”

By Bonnie Parker

We, each of us, have a good alibiFor being down here in the joint;But few of them are really justified,If you get right down to the point.You have heard of a woman’s gloryBeing spent on a downright cur.Still you can’t always judge the storyAs true being told by her.As long as I stayed on the islandAnd heard confidence tales from the gals,There was only one interesting and truthful,It was the story of Suicide Sal.Now Sal was a girl of rare beauty,Though her features were somewhat tough,She never once faltered from duty,To play on the up and up.Sal told me this tale on the eveningBefore she was turned out free,And I’ll do my best to relate it,Just as she told it to me.I was born on a ranch in Wyoming,Not treated like Helen of Troy,Was taught that rods were rulers,And ranked with greasy cowboys. . . .You’ve read the story of Jesse JamesOf how he lived and diedIf you’re still in need of something to readHere’s the story of Bonnie and Clyde.Now Bonnie and Clyde are the Barrow Gang,I’m sure you all have readhow they rob and steal and those who squealare usually found dying or dead.There’s lots of untruths to these write-upsThey’re not so ruthless as thatTheir nature is raw, they hate all lawStool pigeons, spotters, and rats.They call them cold-blooded killersThey say they are heartless and meanBut I say this with pride, I once knew ClydeWhen he was honest and upright and clean.But the laws fooled around and taking him downand locking him up in a cell‘Til he said to me, “I’ll never be free,So I’ll meet a few of them in hell.”The road was so dimly lightedThere were no highway signs to guideBut they made up their minds if all roads were blindThey wouldn’t give up ’til they died.The road gets dimmer and dimmerSometimes you can hardly seeBut it’s fight man to man, and do all you canFor they know they can never be free.From heartbreak some people have sufferedFrom weariness some people have diedBut all in all, our troubles are small‘Til we get like Bonnie and Clyde.If a policeman is killed in DallasAnd they have no clue or guideIf they can’t find a fiend, just wipe the slate cleanAnd hang it on Bonnie and Clyde.There’s two crimes committed in AmericaNot accredited to the Barrow MobThey had no hand in the kidnap demandNor the Kansas City Depot job.A newsboy once said to his buddy“I wish old Clyde would get jumpedIn these hard times we’s get a few dimesIf five or six cops would get bumped.”The police haven’t got the report yetBut Clyde called me up todayHe said, “Don’t start any fights, we aren’tworking nights, we’re joining the NRA.”From Irving to West Dallas viaductIs known as the Great DivideWhere the women are kin, and men are menAnd they won’t stool on Bonnie and Clyde.If they try to act like citizensAnd rent a nice flatAbout the third night they’re invited to fightBy a sub-gun’s rat-tat-tat.They don’t think they’re tough or desperateThey know the law always winsThey’ve been shot at before, but they do not ignoreThat death is the wages of sin.Some day they’ll go down togetherAnd they’ll bury them side by sideTo few it’ll be grief, to the law a reliefBut it’s death for Bonnie and Clyde.